Liber Esdrae, 4

1. Audierunt autem hostes Iudae et Beniamin, quia filii captivita tis aedificarent templum Domino, Deo Israel,

1. Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,

2. et accedentes ad Zorobabel et ad principes familiarum dixerunt eis: “Aedificemus vobiscum, quia ita ut vos quaerimus Deum vestrum et immolavimus victimas a diebus Asarhaddon regis Assyriae, qui adduxit nos huc”.

2. they approached Zerub'babel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, "Let us build with you; for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of E'sar-had'don king of Assyria who brought us here."

3. Et dixit eis Zorobabel et Iesua et reliqui principes familiarum Israel: “Non est vobis et nobis, ut aedificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nos ipsi soli aedificabimus Domino, Deo Israel, sicut praecepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum”.

3. But Zerub'babel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

4. Factum est igitur, ut populus terrae impediret manus populi Iudae et turbaret eos in aedificando.

4. Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build,

5. Conduxerunt autem adversus eos consiliatores, ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum.

5. and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6. In regno autem Asueri, in principio regni eius, scripserunt accusationem adversus habitatores Iudae et Ierusalem.

6. And in the reign of Ahasu-e'rus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7. Et in diebus Artaxerxis scripsit Beselam, Mithridates et Tabel et reliqui, qui erant in consilio eorum, ad Artaxerxem regem Persarum; scriptura autem accusationis erat scripta litteris Syriacis et composita sermone Syro.

7. And in the days of Ar-ta-xerx'es, Bishlam and Mith'redath and Tab'eel and the rest of their associates wrote to Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated.

8. Rehum praefectus et Samsai scriba scripserunt epistulam unam de Ierusalem Artaxerxi regi huiuscemodi:

8. Rehum the commander and Shim'shai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Ar-ta-xerx'es the king as follows --

9. “Rehum praefectus et Samsai scriba et reliqui socii eorum, iudices et duces, magistratus Persae, Erchuaei, Babylonii, Susanechaei, hoc est Elamitae,

9. then wrote Rehum the commander, Shim'shai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,

10. et ceteri de gentibus, quas transtulit Asenaphar magnus et gloriosus et habitare fecit in civitatibus Samariae et in reliquis regionibus trans flumen in pace”.

10. and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnap'par deported and settled in the cities of Sama'ria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, and now

11. Hoc est exemplar epistulae, quam miserunt ad eum: “Artaxerxi regi, servi tui, viri, qui sunt trans fluvium. Igitur

11. this is a copy of the letter that they sent -- "To Ar-ta-xerx'es the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now

12. notum sit regi quia Iudaei, qui ascenderunt a te ad nos, venerunt in Ierusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam, quam aedificant, exstruentes muros eius, fundamenta iam componentes.

12. be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.

13. Nunc notum sit regi quia, si civitas illa aedificata fuerit, et muri eius instaurati, tributum et annonam et vectigal non dabunt, et ad ultimum regibus noxa erit.

13. Now be it known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired.

14. Nos autem, memores salis, quod in palatio comedimus, et quia laesiones regis videre nefas ducimus, idcirco misimus et nuntiavimus regi,

14. Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,

15. ut recenseas in libris historiarum patrum tuorum, et invenies in his historiis et scies quoniam urbs illa urbs rebellis est et nocens regibus et provinciis, et seditiones concitantur in ea ex diebus antiquis; quam ob rem et civitas ipsa destructa est.

15. in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste.

16. Nuntiamus nos regi quoniam, si civitas illa aedificata fuerit, et muri ipsius instaurati, possessionem trans fluvium non habebis”.

16. We make known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."

17. Verbum misit rex ad Rehum praefectum et Samsai scribam et ad reliquos, qui erant in consilio eorum, qui habitabant in Samaria et in regione trans fluvium: “Pax. Nunc igitur scriptura,

17. The king sent an answer: "To Rehum the commander and Shim'shai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Sama'ria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now

18. quam misistis ad nos, manifeste lecta est coram me.

18. the letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

19. Et a me praeceptum est, et recensuerunt inveneruntque quoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellabat, et rebelliones et seditiones concitabantur in ea;

19. And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.

20. nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Ierusalem, qui et dominati sunt omni regioni, quae trans fluvium est, tributum quoque et annonam et vectigal accipiebant.

20. And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.

21. Nunc ergo praecipite, ut desistant isti homines, et urbs illa non aedificetur, donec forte a me iussum fuerit.

21. Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me.

22. Videte, ne negligenter hoc impleatis, et paulatim crescat malum contra reges”.

22. And take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"

23. Itaque exemplum edicti Artaxerxis regis lectum est coram Rehum praefectum et Samsai scriba et consiliariis eorum; et abierunt festini in Ierusalem ad Iudaeos et prohibuerunt eos in brachio et robore.

23. Then, when the copy of King Ar-ta-xerx'es' letter was read before Rehum and Shim'shai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.

24. Tunc intermissum est opus domus Domini in Ierusalem et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum.

24. Then the work on the house of God which is in Jerusalem stopped; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.